Elastic-fluid turbine



Jan. 27, 1931. o. D. H. BgN'rLEY 1,790,195

ELAsTlc FLUITURBINE piled April 1a, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 @war am@ JW 27, 1931v o. D. H. BENTLEY `,790,196

ELASTIC FLUID TURB'INE Filed April 18. 1929 2..She eis-Sheet '2 Patented Jan. I, 27, 1931 UNITED STATES OLIVER n. n, BENTLEY, on NORFOLK,"MAssAcHUsETTs, AssrsNon/To Blf. stranieraf vANT COMPANY, lor HYDE PARK, MAsseCHUsE'r'rs, e' oonronArfoN (in ivr'assa-l cHUsE'rTs Application iednprn 1s,

The present invention Vrelates to elastic fluid turbines and its objectis` to provide a construction whereby heat maybe abstracted from the elastic fluid and converted'into use-V Vg fulwork in the turbine. V,To thehabove endthe present invention consists in the devices and combination of devices hereinafter describedV and more Vparticularly defined in the claims. l l 10 l In elastic fluid turbines as at present constructed,the elastic fluid, commonly steam, is y delivered to the rotor from the source of sup-A ply through an expanding nozzle whereby the pressure of the fluid is transformed into 15 velocity of flow andat the same time theitemperature is substantiallyreduced V-lor exf ample, in the well known type of `turbine illustratedin the drawing, the steamv may be delivered to the nozzle at apressure offBO 2l lpounds per square inch at a temperature t.of

`7000152' As it traverses thevnozzle the presi sure is transformed intovelocityandthe temf` perature drops, say, to 21201?. i Y Y This high velocity steam makes several 29 passes through the buckets of the rotor, being delivered initially from the nozzle and being l 1 returned each time byl the'reversi-ng- .buckets adjacent the nozzle. During its passages 'through the rotor the steam gives up its. 30 velocity toperform useful work 1n propelling Since the turbine is not 100% efficient,- a

portion of the steam passes the rotor with loss of velocity, but without doing :useful work.

- The energy represented by this loss of velocity which is not absorbed as work, is transformed into heat and this is evidenced by the temperature of the exhaust steam which, in the example, would be, say, 360 F., or 11.0?

Y higher than the temperature ofthe steamv as ELAsTro-rnnin '.rURBINnk 192e. serial No.'y 356,274. i

the form of energy vavailable for useful work.

."Briefly,-the present "invention consists of means for transferring heat fromthe exhaustv steam or Vother fiuidfto :the nozzle or to the i rotor or to 'both'randrin the Vpreferred con struction illustrated in the drawing 'such' 'transfer 1s effected by means kof extended sur,`l

faceupon the nozzle segment androtor,v which surface, being exposed to 'the exhaust steam or other f luidireadily absorbs heat'therefrom. Referring to the drawings which illustrate what is now consideredto ber the preferredV 'form of the present invention as appliedlt'o a' wellknown type of turbine*7 Fig. lis a vertical, axial section of .theturbine'embodying therpresent invention; Fig. 2L isa detail view on an enlarged scaleof a portion ofthe turl,y l

bine, partly in velevation and partlyintrz'msf v verse section, showing a nozzlesegment and adjacentcasing and rotOr parts; Fig; 3 is a topVY plan .view of the nozzle segment; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section'of the nozzle segdirection of thefarrow.

The turbine illustratedin the drawings is of thetype illustratedin'my priorl Patent No.

1,291,374,` January 14, v1919, v,and comprisesp the usual rotor Or'wheel l, which turns within Va casing 2 supporting` the stationary elements of the turbine. The rotor is mounted'upon.

the shaft 3 by which power istransmitted to the exterior Vof the vcasing through anysuitable connection on the tapered and keyed end.

T he particular turbine illustrated is ofthe ment on .the lined-4 of Fig. 2, looking inthe non-con `lensing type and is provided with the f specialconstruction of bearing vand lubrifcating'means of said patent whereby leakage prevented,` but since-these detailsfform vno part Vofthe vpresent invention, description isv unnecessary, Areference being had if desired to my prior patent. i

Onewall ofthe casingis i Y with an annulary steam chestl on its outer surface to the interior of which Chest steam formed as shown,

is supplied from any suitable source through connections not illustrated in the drawings.

lVitlnn the casing are secured the nozzle segments 17, each having the customary steamy narily beA provided in accordance with the'` Y usual practice, such segments being spaced at equal distances around the interiorfofthe-l casing.

The nozzle segment is 'provided withY a plurality of reversing buckets adapted to receive steam 'afterr it has passed through the i-otoi-.buckets and re-direct it back intothe rotor;y all as is well known in this art. In the construction'illustrated in Fig. 2, there are tive of these reversing buckets'QB in the nozzle, one of'whic-h is inthe rear ofthe nozzle, another-is at the side'of the nozzle, and the other three are beyond the nozzle inthe direction of rotation of the rotor.

rIhc'rotor is provided at its periphery with the usual series of buckets of which sev- -er'al are shown in Fig. 2. ,"hev exhaust Vsteam isr finally discharged fromthe rotor buckets as they `pass from beneaththev end reversing bucket,fand escapes into the casinggof the turbine from which itis carried-away through the exhaust opening l27 at the bottom of the casing.Y

The nozzle segments, it` will be observed,

being located within the'turbinecasing, are surrounded by the exhauststeam, and in order to enabler the. segments to absorb heat Y from such steam I have provided them with `extended' surface in the :form offribs vor flanges, three of which, 29, are arranged peripherally in` parallel relation along the outer face of the segment, while the other two, in dicated at 3l, extend laterally in oppositemdi-V rcctions from the side walls kof tliefseginent,

rllhus that portion of the nozzle segment normally containing steam at a lower temporaturo than of the exhaust has Ymeans designed and adapted to absorb heat from the exhaust steam und transfer' it to the live steam within In order to still further abstract heat from 'the exhaust steam and convert it into useful work, I. have provided extended surface upon the rotor whereby heat may be transmitted shown three in the drawings, formed upon thesides of the bucket carrying portion of the rotor. These ribs or flanges will be care- ;fully machined and finished with a smooth and polished surface so as to reduce friction losses to a minimum. l

The operationof the turbine herein shown and described is in general the saine as that of niy'prior patent. The steam is supplied to the 'steam chest from the boiler and passes intot-he nozzles of the several segments within the casing. Owing to the expanding character of the nozzles, the pressure of'steam is transformed into velocityjof 'How with a re duction of temperature. I' f The steanirissiiin'g atl high velocity from thefnozz'le enters one of the rotor buckets and givesup a portionof itsweiocity and heat'to drive the rotor. Tliesteain'fronitliis rotor bucket is discharged into oneof the reversing Y buckets rot' the nozzle segments and is reup more energy to'drive the rotoilinally'be# ing discharged into the open casing.

During theV passageV of the steainfthrough the rotor and reversing buckets,v thereis an increase in temperature of the lsteamdue to the' failure of the rotor'to absorb in the forni of work all of the energy liberated by the reduction in velocity ofthe steam. The steam is-ltinally'discharged `from the rotor, therefore, at ag higher' Vtemperature than 'that which ywould normally be 'maintained' within the nozzle and'ythe reversing buckets of the segment. Through the action of the hns or .C Y f A t f ribs upon the-segment, some of the excess of heat in the exhaust *steam is transferred to A the segment and thence to the live steam with; in to Vincrease the heat thereof and consequently its'pote'ntial energy.

In thesanie-mannerth'e excess of heat inv the exhaust steam is transferred through the concentric tins or ribs of the rotor to the rotor buckets and thence t-o the steam passing through them, thus 'further increasing the energy available .to drive the rotor.

'Owing to the curvature atthe base ofthe nozzle buckets and of therotor buckets,and to the consequent centrifugal action of the steam iii passing through these buckets, the steam and particularly.any ymoisture contained therein'gi's brought into close Contact with the nieta-l of thenozzle segment and the rotor, thereby facilitating the 'transfer of heat from these parts tothe steam. y

'lVhile the present invention' h as been shown Vanddescribed as embodied in a Vparticular construction or type -of'*turb1ne, it is to be understood that -it is not' limited either to suclitypes or to the specific means illustrated, but'may be embodied in otherjforms of turbinev and'in other specificdevlces within the scopeof the appended claims- ,*Where in the claims theterm steam is'used this is to be taken t-o mean any elastic fluid Whether steam, air, or other gas. Y

VHaving thus describedthe invention, What is claimed is: f

l. The combination Witha casing and rotor of an elastic fluid turbine, a nozzle segment located Within the casing and exposed tothe exhaust steam, thesegmeiit having a nozzlev 2. In an elastic fluid turbine the combina-r tion with a casing, of a rotor Within the casing and exposed to the exhaust steam, the rotor being provided with buckets and with Y extended surface to absorb heat from the ex pas haust steam and transfer it to the buckets,

and a nozzle for deliveringsteam to the buckets. U n

3. In ali-elastic fluid turbine the combinaving andexposed tothe exhaust steam, the

rotor being provided on itsV outer peripheral face with buckets and on its sidesadjacent the buckets With flanges to absorb heat from the exhaust steam and transmit itto the buckets, and a nozzle for. delivering steam to therotor buckets.

Y 4. In an elastic fluid turbine the combina-v tion with a casing, of a rotor Within the casing and exposed to the exhaust steam, the rotor being provided with buckets and with concentric co-axial flanges to absorb heat from the exhaustrsteamv and transmit it to the buckets, and a nozzle for delivering steam to the rotor buckets.

A nozzle segment for elastic fluid turbines comprising an arc-shaped b-ody portion provided with an expanding nozzle and With reversing `,buckets on the inner face thereof, and With a plurality ofperipherally disposed heat absorbing flanges on the opposite face.

6. The combination in an elastic fluid turbine of a casing, a rotor mounted to turn therein, and a nozzle segment exposed to the kexhaust steam and being provided with means for absorbing heat from suoli steam.

7. The combination in an elastic fluid turbine of a casing in which thel steamis exhausted, a rotor mounted to .turn in the casing, and a nozzlesegfnent located Within the casingand exposed to the exhaust steam, said segment being provided with extended surface to absorb heat from the exhaust steam.

8. The combination in an velastic fluid turbine of a casing, a rotor mounted in the casing, a nozzle segment having an expanding nozzle and reversing buckets formed theretion Withafcasing, of a roto-r Within the` casin, the segment being located in the casingY and exposed to the exhaust steam,an`d being provided With a pluralityy of flanges for -a-b-I 5 sorbing heat from the exhaust steam and transferring itjto thelive steam Within the 9. In an elastic fluid turbine the combination with acasing into which the steam Vis exhausted ofa rotor mounted to turn Within the casing and vexposed to the exhaust steam,

the rotor being provided on its outer peripheral face With buckets and on its sides adjacent -the buckets With thin, deep, concentric flanges divergingly disposed With relation to 'one another to abs-orb heat from the exhaust steam d' Y Vand, transmit it to the buckets, and a nozzle y for .delivering steam to the nozzle buckets.y

l0. A nozzle segment for elastic fluidltur-` bines comprising an arc-shaped body portion provided with' an'expandi'ng'nozzle and -with reversing buckets on the inner face thereof,

and with a' plurality .of'thin, deep, heat-'ab- Vsorbing flanges extending lengthwise of the segment.

In testimony whereof 'I have signed my name fto this specification. e e

OLIVER DgH. BEN'ILEY.V

llOV 

